NCP leaders ridicule Maha govt, CM over pending water bills

Citing media reports, NCP leader Dhananjay Munde Monday claimed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other state ministers had defaulted on water bills of Rs 8 crore, and asked whether the BMC would disconnect supply.

According to media reports based on an RTI reply, the bill due on the chief minister's official residence is Rs 7.44 lakh, while the overall amount pending for that of other state ministers was reportedly around Rs 8 crore.

NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad, in a sarcastic vein, said he would clear the chief minister's (bungalow's) bill to ensure the latter faced "no delay in taking bath" and that "there is no delay in the government's decision-making".

"The chief minister and his ministers have kept water bills of Rs 8 crore of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) pending. Will the BMC, which cuts water supply of common citizens, exhibit courage to cut supply of the ministers' bungalows?" Munde asked on Twitter.

Speaking to reporters outside the state legislature, Awhad said he would pay the CM's bill through cheque.

"He is Maharashtra's chief minister, leader of all...I will pay the bill through cheque...the water connection (of his bungalow) should not be disconnected. He should not face delay in taking bath, washing mouth...this will result in delay in decision-making of the government, which the state can ill-afford," Awhad said.

In a clarification issued earlier in the day, the state PWD said water bills of bungalows of the chief minister and other ministers were paid in November 2018 itself.

The process to clear dues, however, was stopped after "difference" was noticed in the bills cleared earlier and received in May this year, it said, adding the process to clear dues is being undertaken immediately after tallying them.